Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the opening of the 14th iteration of Aero India at the complex of the Yalahanka Air Force station, Bengaluru, made remarks that India is a desirable location for investment in the defence manufacturing industry and declared that the country will work towards ranking among the top exporters of military hardware globally.Aero India 2023, is Indias largest aero show that will run from February 13 to February 17 in Bengaluru. According to authorities, more than 700 defence businesses and representatives from 98 nations will attend the five-day event. This issue of Aero India highlights India as a rapidly developing manufacturing centre for military aircraft, helicopters, equipment, and cutting-edge electronics. They said that at Aero India, some 250 business-to-business deals are anticipated to be finalised, generating an estimated Rs 75,000 crore in new investment.According to Modi, the “New India” of the twenty-first century wont waste any opportunities or fall short of its diligence. According to the Prime Minister, India is now not only a market but also a potential defence partner for a great number of nations. It is on track to become one of the worlds top exporters of military goods.He also added that India, which for many years was an importer of defence products, is now an exporter of defence products to 75 nations and exports of defence equipment have multiplied six-fold over the past five years.India exported more than 1.5 US billion-dollar worth of defence equipment in 2021-2022. Our aim is for the volume of defence exports to climb to up to 5 billion US dollars by 2024-2025,” Modi added.Manufacturers including Lockheed Martin Corporation, Boeing, and Airbus have been encouraged by Indias “Make in India” strategy to produce more than just parts there and to share information.The depiction of Indias growing capabilities is Aero India. The fact that almost 100 different countries are here indicating that India has gained more international respect. Over 700 exhibitors from India and other countries are participating in this show. According to Modi, it has broken all previous records. There are expected to be 809 firms from 98 different nations present. “The Runway to a Billion Opportunities” is Aero India 2023s theme.The biggest Aero Show in IndiaAt the Aero India Show, Air India is expected to announce a historic agreement to purchase almost 500 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing Co., valued at over 100 billion US dollars, during the Aero India event. Moreover, according to aviation consultancy CAPA India, Indias largest airline IndiGo may possibly place a massive order on par with Air Indias size. According to CAPA, Indian carriers may buy 1,500 to 1,700 aircrafts in coming years.The primary attraction of the Aero India Show will be the inaugural flight of TAPAS-BH (Tactical Aerial Platform for Advanced Surveillance – Beyond Horizon), an unmanned aerial vehicle of the Medium Altitude Long Endurance class developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization.The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), the Prachand Light Combat Helicopter, and the Light Utility Helicopter will all be represented by Hindustan Aeronautics Limiteds (HAL) “Aatmanirbhar Formation” flight of 15 helicopters (LUH).According to the official statement, this is going to be the biggest air show with the highest participation rate and will also feature top international think-tanks, major aerospace companies and world leaders.
